Osteospermum plant named ‘Inostepink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Inostepink’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large inflorescences with light purple and red purple-colored ray florets and purple-colored disc florets; and good summer garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘INOSTEPINK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Inostepink’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heidesheim, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create compact and bushy Osteospermum plants with numerous large attractive flowers and good summer garden performance.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 13 206-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 12 223-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heidesheim, Germany in April, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the Osteospermum plant by vegetative tip cuttings in Heidesheim, Germany since June, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inostepink’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inostepink’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large inflorescences with light purple and red purple-         colored ray florets and purple-colored disc florets.     -   7. Good summer garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden         performance than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are not as compact as plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are light         purple and red purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of         the male selection are cream-colored.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden         performance than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Osjamlipur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,410. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of ‘Osjamlipur’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more vigorous than plants         of ‘Osjamlipur’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are light         purple and red purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of         ‘Osjamlipur’ are light purple in color.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden         performance than plants of ‘Osjamlipur’.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can also be compared to plants of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Oslalipu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,873. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of ‘Oslalipu’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more vigorous than plants         of ‘Oslalipu’.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum are light         purple and red purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of         ‘Oslalipu’ are lighter purple in color.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum have better summer garden         performance than plants of ‘Oslalipu’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Osteospermum plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Inostepink’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Inostepink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 11.5-cm containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carleton, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 24° C. Plants were eleven weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Inostepink’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum             ecklonis identified as code number O 13 206-2, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis             identified as code number O 12 223-3, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six to eight days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 24° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to nine days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 24° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and mounding plant habit;             inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane             on strong peduncles; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth             habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 16             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 29.5             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 32 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit             with about 16 primary branches developing per plant, each             primary branch with one or two secondary branches. Length:             About 9.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About             6 mm to 18 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° to 60°             from vertical. Texture and luster: Scattered pubescence;             matte. Color, developing and fully developed: Close to 146C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.4 cm. Width: About 4.3 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Broadly acute; reflexing with development. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Mostly entire; often with five to seven shallow             points. Texture and luster, upper surface: Scattered             pubescence; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Scattered pubescence; matte. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate and reticulate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B;             venation, close to 146C. Petioles: Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Scattered pubescence;             slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences terminal and             axillary and positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; disc and ray florets developing             acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face mostly             upright.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 27             inflorescences developing per plant at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants of the new Osteospermum flower             early and continuously from spring until frost; long             flowering period; plants begin flowering about six weeks             after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of plants of the new             Osteospermum last about one week on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             1.6 cm. Shape: Elongated ovate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 160A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Large, about 6.7 cm. Depth             (height): About 2.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Receptacle diameter: About 2.2 mm. Receptacle height: About             1.1 cm. Receptacle color: Close to 146A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 24 arranged in two whorls. Length: About 3.4 cm.             Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Shallow             emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect:             Initially about 35° from vertical becoming mostly horizontal             when fully developed. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Longitudinally ridged, glabrous; velvety;             moderately glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 76B to 76C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 160B,             160C to 160D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 75C;             towards the apices, close to 72C; towards the base, close to             72B; venation, close to 72B to 72C; color does not change             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             N170D; towards the apices, close to 177D; venation, close to             177D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 78 spirally arranged in about nine whorls at the             center of the receptacle. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter,             apex: About 3 mm. Diameter, base: About 1 mm. Shape:             Tubular; apex, five-pointed with acute points. Texture and             luster, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and             luster, outer surface: Minute pubescence; matte. Color,             immature, inner surface: Close to N77B. Color, immature,             outer surface: Close to 77D. Color, mature, inner surface:             Close to 77B; venation, close to 77B. Color, mature, outer             surface: Close to 84C; venation, close to 84C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement:             About 18 arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Minute pubescence; matte. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 18.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from vertical. Texture             and luster: Minute pubescent; minute; matte. Color: Close to             146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: About five. Filament length:             About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to N155D. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther size: About 1 mm by 4 mm. Anther color:             Close to 187A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             163B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.             Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 187A. Style             length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 187D. Ovary color:             Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has             not been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Osteospermum     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermum plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good summer garden performance and to tolerate     rain, wind and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9a to 11b. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Inostepink’ as illustrated and described. 